A police inspector and two brothers were killed at the Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State on Saturday during Kilajolu Festival.
The clash started after some youths from Ilagbo Community and Oriyanrin Town fought at Kilajolu Festival at Ilagbo. Two brothers were killed in the mayhem and many others injured. A police inspector, who responded to distress call, was also hacked to death.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Fatai Owoseni, explained that the clash started at a masquerade festival, between two youths from different communities.
Youths from Oriyanrin town were alleged to have started causing trouble just as the festival was about to start. Elders of Ilagbo Community were said to have chastised and sent them away.
The Oriyanrin youths, angry at being sent away from the festival, allegedly laid ambush for some Ilagbo youths. They pounced on the boys who were returning from the festival and hacked one Ismaeila to death.
The late Ismaela' s brother, identified as Matanle, who went to evacuate the remains of his brother, was also hacked to death.
When the mayhem erupted, some residents were said to have sent a distress to the nearest police station.
The police inspector and other policemen were drafted to the scene. The rampaging crowd pounced on the policemen. Others escaped, but the inspector was not so lucky. His corpse, which was later retrieved, was covered with machete cuts.
The murder of the two brothers angered Ilagbo youths. The Ilagbo youths carried out reprisal on Oriyanrin community, burning houses, vehicles and property valued millions of naira.
One of the residents, Mr Moriu Made described the incident as unfortunate.
He added: “In fact because of my I'll health, I couldn’t run when the youths from Ilagbo invaded our community. They burnt my house and that of my younger brother's. Houses of some other residents were also burnt. I don't know where to start from. My family members have run away. I’m the only person left in the community. I have not eaten for three days. Government should please provide adequate security for us."
A 102-year-old man was also sighted, abandoned in the deserted community.
Owoseni warned the residents against communal clashes, adding: “We will make sure there is no reprisal in the community. The traditional heads need to do something. The elders in this community should be ashamed of themselves. The police helped you to settle clashes, but you went ahead to kill an inspector. If you’re not careful, we’ll accuse you of using policemen and your community members for rituals. This will discourage investors from your community will your children will suffer from.
"Nothing stops you from organizing a vigilante group with the police. Instead, your children go behind to kill policemen. Policemen also have families. You know the solution. If you don't want peace to reign, we will handle it with force. You need to give us assurance that you are ready to defend your community; security starts with you. You’ll never see policemen carry guns in civilized countries, except in a community where hoodlums are rampant. You should establish cordial relationship with investors to enjoy corporate social responsibility, not kill.”
Owoseni further added: “Every religious leader has a role to play. If you don't stop it, it will spread. You should continue to utilize the same wisdom you have always used in keeping the community calm. We’ll keep doing our best in chasing militants away from your community, but you are starting an internal fight, instead of joining hands with us to combat them. A boy was killed by youths from Oriyanrin community and his brother, who went to rescue him, was also hacked to death. When the brother was attacked, it was at that point that a distress call got to the police. Our men were deployed to the community to restore normalcy. We have had discussion with the community leaders to help us with information on how to arrest the culprits that caused this sort of carnage.”
Owoseni disclosed that two persons have been arrested in connection with the carnage in the community.
